Five persons have reportedly lost their lives in Rivers State after an explosion occurred at an illegally refined petroleum product storage located in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of the state.
The incident occurred in Omoku on Saturday at approximately 11 am, after a fire erupted from the illegally dumped storage house, killing four females and one male, who were burnt beyond recognition.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), in a statement signed by Dr. Fyneface Fynefacķe, the Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria, confirmed the incident.
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The Advocacy Centre youth volunteers network, under the umbrella body of One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta, reported the incident.
The storehouse reportedly housed condensate meant for resale in the area.
The statement read, “Members of the Advocacy Centre youth volunteers network under the auspices of the One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta in ONELGA told the Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface that the incident occurred in the late hours of Saturday, April 26 by about 11AM, killing five persons, four females and one male burnt beyond recognition.”
The advocacy organisation, while calling for an investigation to be carried out, warned residents and youths to shun pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, artisanal refineries, and trading in illegally refined petroleum products.
It also added that, to avoid future occurrences, residents should refrain from using their homes as storage sites, emphasizing the severe implications.
“The group also used the opportunity to renew its call on the federal government to legalise artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta through the establishment of its July 27, 2020 proposed Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI) and/or Modular Refineries for artisanal Refiners in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region to mitigate incidents of this nature.”
